Klein1

JordanKlein
Mr.Smith
EnglishPeriod3
3,March,2016
HolocaustCompareandContrast
Anoccurringmotifthatispresentinthebook
MausbyArtSpiegelman
,
Nightby
ElieWiesel
andthemovie
TheBoyInTheStripedPajamas
isfamily.Eachstoryshowshow
remarkablychangedforeverthesefamiliesarebecauseofsuchtragediestheyenduredtogether.
Withoutourfamilies,wehavenooneandlookingatthehorrificeventsthathappenedinthese
stories,itwouldbequitedifficulttolivethroughthemwithoutlovedone.
Apartfromthecrisis
andbreakdown,therewasalsoaconsiderableamountofstrengthinfamilyties
.
Various
examplesshowhowimportantfamilyis,theyfacedhardshipstogetherwhetheritwasjusta
minordifficultyorthevergeoflifeanddeath.
Afterreadingthebook
Maus
byArtSpiegelman,ArtiesfatherVladekfaced
multipleproblems,leavinghimwithconflictswithinhisfamily.Vladek,hadtofacethehardest
decisionofwhetherornottogiveuphisonlychildRichieutokeephimsafe.Itwasnotlong
afterthattheyhadcometothedifficultdecisiontogivehimup,theyrealizedhehaddied.Anja
fellintodeepdepressionwhichmadeitthatmuchharderforVladekknowingthattheonly
familyhehadleftwasAnja.Butwhyareyoucrying,askedVladek(31).Idontknow,Anja
saidbawling,Ijustdon'twanttolive(31).ThisleftVladekheartbrokenandempty,feelinglike
hehadlostthetwomostimportantpeopleheloved.Vladek

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nevergaveup,becauseAnjaalwayssays,IloveyouVladek(35).Hetriedhelpinghertofeel
completebutnothinghelpedandshedecidedtotakeherownlife.Vladekrealizedevery
nightmarehehadcametrueandhehadnobody.Whetheritwaslosingtheonlyfamilyyouhad
bychoiceorforce,itallhurtsequallythesame,becausetheseparationfromtheonesyoulove
mostwillbemassivelypainfuleitherwayithappens.
Night
isastorythatportrayswhatitwaslikeforafamilytoovercomehurdles
whenforcedtobeisolatedandtornapart.Atthebeginningofthememoirtheysharewithusthat
whentheWieselfamilyentersthefirstconcentrationcamp,theyareforcedtoseparateby
genders.Elie,theyoungboysays,Isawthemwalkfartherandfartheraway...andatthat
moment,thisplacewaswhereIwasleavingmymotherandsisterTziporaforever(90).Sucha
youngfamilybeingtornapartwouldleaveadrasticmarkonhislifeforever.Thesefamilies
facedtorture,death,humiliation,andfoundthemselveslosingtheonlypeoplethatwouldnever
hurtthem.Elienotonlylosthismotherandsister,buthisfatherbecamesoill,weakand
dehydratedthathecouldnotbaretolive.Hisfather,moaning,saidtohim,Icantanymore...Its
overIshalldierighthere.(105).Intheblinkofaneye,Elielostallsightoffamily.The
familiesthatenduredtheHolocaustwerepushedtofollowordersthatquitepossiblyaffected
theirentirelife.
Themovie,
TheBoyInTheStripedPajamas,
portraysthelifeofayoungfamily
thatistornapartbytheirdifferentbeliefsoftheJewishcommunity.ThelittleGermanboy,
Bruno,seesallpeopleasgoodandnotevil.HeisconfusedwhyhissistertellshimthatallJews
areevilandaretheenemies,whenhemadeafriendnamedShmuelwhoisintheconcentration

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campnearhishouseandappearstobejustlikeBruno,whichconfusedhimevenmore.Bruno
explainstoShmuel,Wearentsupposetobefriendsyouandme...Wearesupposetobe
enemies.Brunoscompassionforthislittleboyisheartbreakingwhenallhewantstodoishelp
ShmuelfindhisfatherbecausethatisallthefamilyShmuelhasleft.Familyissocrucialthat
eventhoughBrunosmotherdoesnotagreewithherhusbandsroleintheHolocaustshestaysto
supporthim.IntheendthatsupportcostthemBrunoslifebecausetheyallkeptsecretsfromone
anothermakingBrunobelievethatthereisnoharmintheconcentrationcampuntileheseesfor
himself.BrunoasksShmuel,Areyounotallowedout?.Shmueldoesn'trespondsoBruno
believesthecampisharmlesssohedigsunderthefenceandentersintothecamp.Littledoeshe
knowthattheyareputinagaschambertodie.Brunosfatherwillnowknowwhatitfeelslike
tolosefamilyinaconcentrationcampandseewhatharmheiscausingthosepeople.
Inthebook
MausbyArtSpiegelman
,
NightbyElieWiesel
andthemovie
The
BoyInTheStripedPajamas,
helpustounderstandthateachissueorconflictwearefacedwith
inourfamilieseithersuffersorenglightsthroughit.Aswenoticethatallthehorrificeventsthat
happened,theycouldntdoitwithoutthefamilytheyhadandeventhoughmostwereseparated
ordied,theyrealizedwithoutfamilytheywerenothing.Theyallendedupwithnofamilyleft,
completeisolationandunremarkablychangedforever.Theynotonlylosttheirfamilybutall
theymustlifewithisviolent,tragicmemoriesthatwillneverleavetheirheadallthetime.Its
absolutelyunforgettablewhatthesefamilieshadtogothroughduringtheHolocaustandthat
thousandsoffamiliesweretornapartinconcentrationcampsandwerebrutallyabused.LikeI
mentioned

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earliertherearevariousthemeswhenitcomestovariousbooksandfilmsrelatingtothe
Holocaustbutonemajorthemeisfamily.